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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mate — to breed
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. content — the amount
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — a container

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