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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 116 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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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: fork · rock · stem · pound · field · hide · chip · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. field — for sport
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. field — a subject
  10. rest — a break
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. field — farmland
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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