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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 116 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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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: tear · face · can · firm · root · snap · calf · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. firm — steady
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. tear — from crying
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — to confront
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. root — the cause
  10. tear — to rip
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. root — of a word
  14. face — to point toward
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. firm — decided
  17. tear — from crying
  18. face — part of the head
  19. can — a tin
  20. snap — to click
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a plant

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