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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: wave · stem · can · chip · wound · bulb · track · court

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wound — an injury
  5. court — for sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. can — a tin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. track — a song
  19. court — of a king
  20. track — to keep track
  21. court — of law
  22. track — a path
  23. chip — for betting
  24. can — to be able to

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