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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kick — in football
  5. date — the fruit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chest — of your body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. root — the cause
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. chest — a box
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. root — of a word
  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