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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: pit · straw · scale · root · kick · present · rush · pop

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — music
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. scale — size or range
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. present — there
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — the time now
  13. rush — hurry
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. root — of a word
  16. present — a gift
  17. pop — soda
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. root — the cause
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pit — a hole
  24. scale — in music

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