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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. root — the cause
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. band — a music group
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. saw — the tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. band — a ring
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. date — the fruit
  16. key — the most important part
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. root — of a word
  24. key — in music

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