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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.

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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: hide · game · board · pop · pit · chip · rest · root

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pop — music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — of a word
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — soda
  17. game — a match
  18. board — a committee
  19. rest — a break
  20. root — the cause
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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