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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. firm — decided
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wake — a trail
  10. root — of a word
  11. season — of the year
  12. root — the cause
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — in sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — steady
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. staff — employees
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. firm — a company
  24. wound — an injury

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