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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: chip · game · spell · stem · rush · mouse · trunk · can

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. chip — to eat
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — letters
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. game — a match
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — to be able to
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rush — hurry

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