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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rush — hurry
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. land — ground
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chip — to eat
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — a country
  14. chip — for betting
  15. root — of a word
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. land — to come down
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. root — the cause
  23. cold — an illness
  24. wave — with your hand

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