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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. root — of a word
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stock — goods
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. root — the cause
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — shares
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cap — a lid
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stock — a soup base

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