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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bass — the fish
  4. club — for golf
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. root — of a word
  9. bound — certain
  10. bass — low music
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitch — completely
  13. club — a group
  14. chip — for betting
  15. race — humankind
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. race — the arms race
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. root — the cause
  24. pitch — a sports field

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