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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — for betting
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. season — in sport
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bank — for money
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. season — of the year
  17. ground — a position
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. clip — a video
  22. object — to protest
  23. clip — for paper
  24. object — a thing

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