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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 the members were all out of tune.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. race — a contest
  4. chip — for betting
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. race — the arms race
  11. root — the cause
  12. mine — for digging
  13. root — of a word
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. race — humankind
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rest — what's left
  18. band — a ring
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. vault — a safe
  21. band — a music group
  22. chip — to eat
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rest — a break

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