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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 · mug · hand · mine · cabinet · mate · rest · root

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. hand — help
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mug — a face
  6. mate — to breed
  7. hand — in cards
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — a cup
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rest — a break
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. root — of a word
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mine — for digging
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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