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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.

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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: fan · chip · object · firm · lie · race · root · dip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. root — the cause
  12. object — to protest
  13. race — a contest
  14. root — of a word
  15. chip — to eat
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — decided
  19. object — a thing
  20. race — humankind
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. root — of a plant
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — a supporter

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