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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. charge — electricity
  4. file — a line of people
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — the cause
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — for betting
  13. dip — to sink
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. charge — in control
  17. file — a document
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. file — a tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mark — a grade
  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