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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 · face · content · ruler · ground · suit · root · perch

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ground — a position
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — in cards
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. root — of a word
  11. ground — the earth
  12. root — of a plant
  13. content — the amount
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ground — crushed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. face — to point toward
  22. root — the cause
  23. face — to confront
  24. content — happy

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