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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: court · hide · jam · ruler · fan · stem · kick · chip

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. court — of law
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — in football
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. court — for sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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