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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — the cause
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — thin
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. root — of a plant
  13. branch — a division
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. chip — to eat
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. land — to come down
  24. root — of a word

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