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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: stem · bear · content · chair · chip · fine · squash · racket

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. chair — a professorship
  3. squash — the sport
  4. content — the amount
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chip — to eat
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. content — happy
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chair — a leader
  21. fine — all right
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fine — high quality
  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