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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — the cause
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — a position
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a plant
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fall — the season
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. chip — to eat
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ground — the earth
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. chip — for betting
  20. root — of a word
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. ground — crushed
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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