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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · hide · craft · root · mug · tube · bore · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. tube — a container
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to drill
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bore — to tire
  14. root — of a plant
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. root — the cause
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. craft — boats
  24. chip — for betting

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