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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. root — the cause
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. root — of a word
  6. drill — the tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — a practice
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. suit — clothes
  13. drill — army training
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bear — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mug — a face
  24. root — of a plant

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