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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. root — of a word
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kid — child
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chip — to eat
  16. clip — to cut
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. root — the cause
  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