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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: pop · pit · root · trunk · stick · chip · fine · roll

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pop — to visit
  3. root — the cause
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. roll — a cake
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. roll — a list
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. root — of a word
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fine — all right
  24. chip — to eat

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