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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: roll · mug · dip · mouse · hand · bat · root · chip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. hand — help
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mug — a cup
  11. root — the cause
  12. roll — a list
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. chip — for betting
  17. hand — in cards
  18. root — of a word
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mug — a face
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. chip — to eat

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