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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 120 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: bay · mate · stem · prune · fan · temple · mark · chip

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mark — a trace
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — to come from
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mark — a grade
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. prune — the fruit

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