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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 116 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: stem · spring · rest · lash · clip · ruler · chip · ground

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — for paper
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ground — a position
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. spring — of water
  20. chip — for betting
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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