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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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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: deal · mark · chip · cap · mate · stem · nail · patient

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — a hat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  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