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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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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: stick · squash · stem · plane · mouse · chip · fine · race

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fine — all right
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. race — humankind
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the sport
  21. race — a contest
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — to crush

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