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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: roll · deal · wax · jam · stem · chip · spring · straw

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spring — a coil
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. chip — for betting
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — to grow
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. deal — to handle
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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