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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: racket · bay · ball · root · hand · bound · dip · chip

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. root — the cause
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. root — of a plant
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. root — of a word
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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