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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a line
  12. content — happy
  13. root — of a word
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. root — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. chip — for betting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. content — the amount
  22. root — the cause
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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