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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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. clip — for paper
  3. root — of a plant
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — to bear
  14. root — of a word
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. clip — to cut
  18. row — to paddle
  19. root — the cause
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pop — soda
  24. clip — a video

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