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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.

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: drill · rock · snap · fine · stem · chip · fan · bat

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rock — a stone
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fine — high quality
  16. drill — the tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fine — all right
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rock — music
  23. stem — to come from
  24. drill — army training

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