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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. track — a path
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. degree — an amount
  7. can — a tin
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. root — the cause
  10. track — a song
  11. cue — a hint
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bank — for money
  14. root — of a word
  15. degree — from a university
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chip — for betting

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