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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 · wake · chip · scale · fork · suit

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stem — to come from
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fork — in a road
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — clothes

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