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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chest — a box
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bank — of a river
  9. current — electric
  10. root — the cause
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chest — of your body
  19. toast — bread
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — happening now
  24. chest — of your body

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