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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: chip · ball · present · kid · root · wave · firm · ruler

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. root — of a word
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kid — to tease
  10. present — the time now
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — child
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ball — a great time
  18. present — a gift
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. present — there
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — steady
  24. ruler — a monarch

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