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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — to fit
  5. root — of a plant
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — an injury
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. file — a document
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — hurry
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. file — a tool
  21. chip — to eat
  22. root — the cause
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. coach — a trainer

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