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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 120 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: chip · ground · wave · root · ruler · ball · saw · staff

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — the earth
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — of a word
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. staff — employees
  19. root — the cause
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. ball — a dance

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