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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. spring — a coil
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spring — the season
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spring — of water
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. root — of a word
  21. kick — in football
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — steady

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