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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — army training
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. root — of a word
  6. scale — size or range
  7. root — of a plant
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spell — letters
  11. root — the cause
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chip — to eat
  19. spell — magic
  20. chip — for betting
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. scale — in music
  24. drill — a practice

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