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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: racket · dip · root · stick · face · stand · bulb · chip

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — to bear
  11. root — the cause
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chip — for betting
  24. dip — to dunk

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