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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 120 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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. firm — steady
  3. wake — a trail
  4. court — of law
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — a company
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. root — of a word
  12. suit — in cards
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — the cause
  16. suit — to fit
  17. court — of a king
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. firm — decided
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bore — to tire
  24. court — for sport

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