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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: tube · season · ruler · bowl · stem · chair · chip · present

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — there
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chip — for betting
  12. present — the time now
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. present — a gift

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