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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: current · bulb · chip · file · tear · pit · cue · stem

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. tear — from crying
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. current — of water
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. tear — to rip

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