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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: bass · root · squash · suit · temple · chip · row · capital

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bass — the fish
  3. capital — a city
  4. squash — the sport
  5. row — to paddle
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chip — for betting
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bass — low music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. row — a line
  18. root — of a word
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. capital — money
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. suit — in cards
  23. squash — to crush
  24. suit — clothes

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