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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cap — of ice
  5. deal — to handle
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — in music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. root — of a word
  13. chip — for betting
  14. root — the cause
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cap — a hat
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cap — a lid

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