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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: chip · fork · stem · deal · bulb · march · wake · dip

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — before a funeral

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