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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · race · root · mug · sharp · charge · hand · chip

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. charge — in control
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. race — humankind
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. charge — a price
  12. mug — a face
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — clever
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chip — to eat
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chip — for betting
  19. race — a contest
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. root — the cause
  22. hand — in cards
  23. race — the arms race
  24. charge — electricity

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