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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. root — the cause
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. suit — in cards
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cell — in biology
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cell — a phone
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. band — a music group
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — of a word
  24. wake — a trail

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