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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. root — the cause
  3. staff — a stick
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. chip — for betting
  9. sharp — clever
  10. kick — in football
  11. staff — employees
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. staff — employees
  21. root — of a word
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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