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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. track — a path
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. track — a song
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. race — a contest
  17. cue — a signal
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fine — all right
  20. chip — for betting
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. track — to keep track
  23. race — humankind
  24. lash — to lash out

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