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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 124 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chip — to eat
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. root — the cause
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. file — a tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. file — a document
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. file — a line of people
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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