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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: coach · mouse · clip · mate · chip · deal · root · mine

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. clip — to cut
  8. root — the cause
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. clip — for paper
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. clip — a video
  24. root — of a word

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