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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 water is too ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cold — an illness
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. toast — bread
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. root — of a word
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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