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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · date · cabinet · can · fine · root · squash · row

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — all right
  5. squash — the sport
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. root — the cause
  10. chip — to eat
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. root — of a word
  14. chip — for betting
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fine — high quality
  17. row — a line
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. can — to be able to

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