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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: mark · rock · stem · kid · rash · chip · foot · ground

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kid — child
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rash — hasty
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kid — to tease
  17. chip — for betting
  18. foot — a measure
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. mark — a trace
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. chip — to eat

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