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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. snap — to click
  3. firm — steady
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — of a plant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — decided
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. root — of a word
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — the cause
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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