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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: chip · root · swing · craft · squash · field · stand · bore

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. field — for sport
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. root — of a word
  12. craft — boats
  13. squash — the sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. field — a subject
  18. bore — to tire
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. field — farmland
  21. chip — for betting
  22. swing — music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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