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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — in control
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fork — in a road
  12. band — a music group
  13. stock — shares
  14. charge — electricity
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. charge — a price
  18. root — the cause
  19. band — a ring
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. coach — a trainer

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