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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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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: swing · arm · chip · press · deal · mark · root · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. swing — to play on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. press — to push
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — the cause
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — music
  13. press — newspapers
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — in golf
  16. root — of a word
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. arm — a part of something

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