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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a cup
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — to recline
  13. root — the cause
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. root — of a word
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mug — a face
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rest — what's left

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