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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 · stem · can · last · mark · tube · cell · club

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. last — final
  5. club — for golf
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mark — a trace
  8. last — finally
  9. tube — a container
  10. can — a tin
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chip — to eat
  16. club — for dancing
  17. last — to go on
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cell — in biology
  21. club — a group
  22. stem — to come from
  23. can — to be able to
  24. tube — in a tire

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