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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: stem · can · jam · lean · content · board · plane · chip

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. board — a committee
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — happy
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lean — to bend
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stem — to come from
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. board — to get on
  19. content — the amount
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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