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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — of a plant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rash — a series
  6. chip — to eat
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. charge — a price
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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