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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a line of people
  5. kick — in football
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — of a word
  10. file — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. file — a document
  23. race — a contest
  24. kick — with a leg

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