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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cold — not warm
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. squash — the sport
  9. root — of a plant
  10. object — to protest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. root — of a word
  14. object — a thing
  15. root — the cause
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cold — an illness
  23. chip — to eat
  24. object — an aim

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