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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 116 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — to eat
  3. squash — to crush
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. last — to go on
  8. root — the cause
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. chip — for betting
  21. root — of a word
  22. hand — help
  23. charge — a price
  24. squash — the sport

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