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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — for betting
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. field — for sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. root — of a word
  21. hand — help
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bear — the animal

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