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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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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 · rest · mouse · prune · dip · club · rule

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. club — for dancing
  7. prune — to trim
  8. club — for golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. rule — a law
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — government
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. club — a group
  24. dip — a sauce

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