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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: stem · chip · jam · bulb · roll · shower · bore · track

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. track — a path
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stem — to come from
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chip — to eat

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