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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. root — the cause
  3. land — to come down
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — to protest
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. land — a country
  9. root — of a word
  10. content — happy
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — size or range
  17. content — the amount
  18. object — an aim
  19. land — ground
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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