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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 120 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: race · pound · deal · key · wound · temple · chip · root

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. deal — to handle
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — to eat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pound — a weight
  11. race — a contest
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wound — an injury
  17. root — the cause
  18. race — humankind
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — the most important part
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. key — for a lock
  23. race — the arms race
  24. key — in music

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