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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kid — child
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kid — to tease
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — for betting
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — crushed
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ground — a position
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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