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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wind — moving air
  10. squash — to crush
  11. root — of a word
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. tube — a container
  14. root — the cause
  15. chip — to eat
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. squash — the sport

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