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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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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: trunk · root · rash · rule · ground · cap · chip · clip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chip — for betting
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ground — crushed
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. clip — to cut
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — a position
  12. cap — of ice
  13. clip — a video
  14. root — of a word
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rash — a series
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rash — on the skin

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