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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: last · dip · bat · cabinet · rule · craft · chip · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. last — to go on
  3. craft — a skill
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — to eat
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. root — the cause
  14. bat — the animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — finally
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rule — government
  21. last — final
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — a law
  24. cabinet — ministers

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