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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hand · root · mouse · chair · squash · board · clip · tube

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a committee
  4. root — of a word
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. clip — a video
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. squash — the sport
  12. root — the cause
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. clip — to cut
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. tube — a container
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. clip — for paper
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. chair — a leader

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