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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. staff — employees
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. land — a country
  8. staff — employees
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. staff — a stick
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pass — a permit
  15. race — humankind
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. land — ground
  19. root — of a word
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. race — the arms race
  22. root — of a plant
  23. race — a contest
  24. calf — a young animal

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