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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · prune · stem · chip · pitcher · pop · arm · cabinet

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pop — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fork — to eat with

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