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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: field · chip · firm · straw · root · suit · tear · craft

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. chip — for betting
  5. tear — to rip
  6. root — of a word
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. field — for sport
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — a company
  12. craft — a skill
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — a subject
  18. craft — boats
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. firm — decided
  22. tear — from crying
  23. field — farmland
  24. chip — to eat

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