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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 covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. content — the amount
  9. chip — for betting
  10. root — the cause
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. root — of a word
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. craft — a skill
  21. content — happy
  22. craft — boats
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wind — to turn a key

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