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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: rest · plane · root · safe · row · chip · mouse · clip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chip — for betting
  9. plane — a tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — to eat
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. row — a line
  14. root — the cause
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. root — of a word
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. clip — for paper
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. clip — a video

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