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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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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: root · jam · stick · wound · board · rush · bat · chip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chip — for betting
  15. board — to get on
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — to eat
  19. board — a committee
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bat — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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