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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. race — a contest
  6. bank — for money
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rule — government
  9. chip — to eat
  10. tube — the underground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — the cause
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — a law
  17. root — of a word
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. race — humankind

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