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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. root — of a word
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chip — to eat
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — for betting
  17. root — the cause
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — magic
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. spell — letters
  24. swing — music

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