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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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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — the cause
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. race — the arms race
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rock — music
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. bark — of a tree

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