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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: bowl · dip · chip · root · safe · pitcher · cold · firm

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. root — of a word
  8. firm — a company
  9. cold — an illness
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. firm — decided
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cold — not warm
  24. chip — in a computer

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