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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — in golf
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. swing — music
  11. root — of a word
  12. swing — to play on
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wake — a trail
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — in music
  24. chip — to eat

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