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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: toast · fork · chip · suit · file · perch · root · band

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. file — a tool
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a ring
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a document
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. toast — bread
  19. chip — to eat
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. band — a music group
  24. file — a line of people

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