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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — of water
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mate — to breed
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. drill — army training
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — the tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — a practice
  21. root — the cause
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. root — of a word

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