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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: racket · chip · snap · root · face · ball · fine · pitcher

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — the cause
  4. chip — for betting
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fine — all right
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. root — of a plant
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a dance
  20. snap — to click
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ball — a great time
  24. face — part of the head

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