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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — to eat
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chip — for betting
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — of a word
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fine — high quality
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — a path
  13. fine — all right
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. craft — a skill
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. root — the cause
  23. track — a song
  24. chip — in a computer

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