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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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Word bank
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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: chip · saw · firm · bulb · object · rule · stem · ball

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bulb — for light
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. object — to protest
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rule — government
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — a law
  22. object — a thing
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rule — to rule out

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