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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · cabinet · chip · root · mark · pit · field · track

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chip — for betting
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. field — farmland
  11. track — a path
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. root — of a plant
  20. field — a subject
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. mark — a trace

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