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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: perch · game · cue · object · chip · root · dip · ruler

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. root — the cause
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. root — of a word
  6. chip — for betting
  7. root — of a plant
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — for pool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — to eat
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. game — wild animals
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — a thing
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. perch — the fish
  24. dip — to sink

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