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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. root — of a plant
  5. roll — a list
  6. cap — a hat
  7. roll — a cake
  8. root — of a word
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chip — for betting
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. kick — in football
  17. chip — to eat
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cap — a lid
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. root — the cause

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