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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · patient · stem · chip · fan · key · march · bowl

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. face — to point toward
  5. march — the month
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. march — the month
  11. face — to confront
  12. key — for a lock
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. face — part of the head
  16. march — music
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. key — in music
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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