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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 · bat · fine · rock · hand · foot · root · mark

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — help
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — of a word
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — the animal
  14. foot — a measure
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. root — the cause
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. fine — all right
  23. root — of a plant
  24. hand — part of the body

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