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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. root — of a word
  10. chip — for betting
  11. scale — in music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spell — magic
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. root — the cause
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — letters
  24. root — of a plant

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