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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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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: rule · jam · file · perch · stem · roll · net · chip

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. file — a document
  3. roll — a cake
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. file — a tool
  10. rule — government
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. net — in sport
  20. rule — a law
  21. chip — for betting
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. perch — the fish

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