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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. race — humankind
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. drill — the tool
  8. root — the cause
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. race — the arms race
  11. drill — army training
  12. pop — soda
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — music
  19. root — of a word
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — to visit
  24. race — a contest

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