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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. chip — for betting
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. content — happy
  7. board — a committee
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rock — a stone
  10. content — the amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. degree — temperature
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pop — music
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. degree — an amount
  23. root — the cause
  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