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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wake — a trail
  7. press — to push
  8. root — the cause
  9. game — a match
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rule — a law
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chip — to eat
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — of a plant
  23. press — a publisher
  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