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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. field — farmland
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a great time
  12. root — the cause
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. field — a subject
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. field — for sport
  18. root — of a word
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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