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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. root — the cause
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. root — of a word
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fan — a supporter

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