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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. root — of a word
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. swing — to play on
  11. root — the cause
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rest — a break
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. swing — music

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