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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: straw · mark · roll · mug · wake · chip · root · pop

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chip — for betting
  8. root — the cause
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mug — a face
  11. pop — soda
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pop — to visit
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mark — a grade
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pop — music
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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