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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. current — electric
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. field — farmland
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. chip — to eat
  10. root — the cause
  11. field — a subject
  12. root — of a word
  13. field — for sport
  14. current — of water
  15. rush — hurry
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. craft — a skill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. craft — boats
  23. current — happening now
  24. rush — a thrill

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