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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: present · bound · root · rush · chip · scale · stick · pit

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — in music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bound — obliged
  9. chip — for betting
  10. present — there
  11. pit — in a race
  12. present — a gift
  13. root — the cause
  14. pit — a hole
  15. present — the time now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. scale — size or range

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