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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
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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: stem · tube · spell · fine · object · leaves · bear · chip

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fine — high quality
  3. tube — a container
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. spell — letters
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. spell — magic
  9. object — a thing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. object — an aim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. object — to protest
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stem — to come from
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bear — the animal

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