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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — the cause
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. root — of a plant
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. court — for sport
  15. root — of a word
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — for betting
  18. court — of law
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. court — of a king
  22. fork — in a road
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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