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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. rash — hasty
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. toast — bread
  14. root — of a word
  15. mine — for digging
  16. land — to come down
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. land — a country
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — ground
  24. chip — in a computer

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