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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. root — of a word
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — certain
  12. roll — a cake
  13. root — of a plant
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bound — obliged
  17. roll — a list
  18. root — the cause
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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