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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 120 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: stem · snap · chip · patient · track · cap · mate · fan

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. track — a song
  3. mate — to breed
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. track — a path
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to click
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mate — a partner

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