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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 120 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
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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: mine · scale · chip · mark · drill · root · rock · stand

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chip — to eat
  14. root — of a word
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — for digging
  20. scale — size or range
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mark — a trace
  24. drill — the tool

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