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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 116 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. present — there
  3. pop — to visit
  4. root — the cause
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — of a word
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — music
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. swing — to play on
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — soda

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