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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · root · bark · ball · drill · craft · dip

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. root — of a word
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. drill — a practice
  13. craft — boats
  14. bark — to shout
  15. drill — army training
  16. ball — a dance
  17. root — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. root — the cause
  22. craft — a skill
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bark — of a tree

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