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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.

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: pop · chip · plane · stem · date · leaves · fall · chair

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. fall — to drop
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pop — to visit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fall — the season
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chair — to sit on

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