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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. root — of a word
  3. bass — low music
  4. sharp — clever
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chip — for betting
  18. branch — a division
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — the fish

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