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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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468
Word bank
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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chip — for betting
  12. degree — from a university
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mate — to breed
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — the cause
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mouse — for a computer

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