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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: lie · craft · root · wave · mate · game · chip · stem

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mate — a partner
  5. root — of a word
  6. game — wild animals
  7. chip — to eat
  8. game — a match
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — the cause
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mate — a friend
  20. root — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chip — for betting

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