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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 116 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: stem · squash · root · chip · cell · current

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. current — happening now
  3. cell — in biology
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cell — a phone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. squash — to crush
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stem — to come from

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