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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · craft · chip · pit · stem · patient

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pit — in a race
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — for betting
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — boats
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com