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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. root — of a plant
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. root — of a word
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bass — low music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. firm — a company
  10. mine — for digging
  11. season — of the year
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. firm — steady
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bass — the fish
  18. firm — decided
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. root — the cause
  24. ball — a great time

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