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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. chip — to eat
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. root — the cause
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. sharp — clever
  18. root — of a word
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mark — a trace

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