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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. race — humankind
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. root — of a word
  5. game — wild animals
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chip — for betting
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — certain
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mate — a partner
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — the cause
  16. game — a match
  17. root — of a plant
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bass — low music
  20. mate — a friend
  21. race — a contest
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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