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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: chip · bay · squash · tube · root · snap · mug · last

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. last — finally
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. root — the cause
  7. tube — a container
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. snap — to click
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. last — final
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — the underground
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. root — of a word
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mug — a face
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — to crush

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