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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. root — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. root — of a word
  8. board — a committee
  9. chip — to eat
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stem — to come from
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. root — the cause
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. kick — in football
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. current — of water
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. board — to get on

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