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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. court — for sport
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mug — to rob
  6. chip — for betting
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. court — of law
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a word
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mug — a face
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. court — of a king
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — in a race

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