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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. present — there
  5. dip — to sink
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — the time now
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. present — a gift
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. root — of a word
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. firm — steady

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