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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: field · bore · fan · pit · chip · bear · deal · stem

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. field — for sport
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. field — a subject
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stem — to come from

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