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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: capital · root · saw · season · object · pit · lash · chip

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — of the year
  3. capital — money
  4. pit — a hole
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. root — of a plant
  11. capital — a city
  12. chip — to eat
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. root — the cause
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. object — an aim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. season — in sport
  23. root — of a word
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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