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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: wave · suit · stick · chip · fork · cell · stem · fine

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — in biology
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fine — all right

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