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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. land — to come down
  3. vault — a safe
  4. chip — to eat
  5. root — of a word
  6. land — a country
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fork — in a road
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. root — of a plant
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — the cause
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. land — ground

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