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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. root — of a plant
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chip — for betting
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. face — to confront
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. squash — the sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. fork — in a road

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