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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — a face
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wind — moving air
  6. board — a committee
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. root — of a word
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mug — a cup
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tube — a container
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fork — in a road
  21. root — the cause
  22. tube — the underground
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. tube — in a tire

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