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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chip — for betting
  6. content — the amount
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cap — a lid
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. root — of a word
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. content — happy
  18. chip — to eat
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cap — of ice
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. root — the cause
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chair — to sit on

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