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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · saw · root · chip · pit · track · squash · deal

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — to eat
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. pit — in a race
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — to keep track
  16. deal — to handle
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. track — a song
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. root — the cause
  23. chip — for betting
  24. track — a path

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