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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bound — certain
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — of a word
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — tied together
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bank — for money
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. root — the cause
  24. foot — a measure

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