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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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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: jam · bay · board · spell · root · chip · foot · cold

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. spell — magic
  8. chip — to eat
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. spell — letters
  13. board — a committee
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cold — an illness
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spell — a short time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. foot — a measure
  24. board — to get on

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