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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: roll · game · pit · stand · club · root · lash · fine

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. root — of a word
  6. roll — a list
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. stand — to bear
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. club — a group
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pit — a hole
  15. root — of a plant
  16. club — for golf
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. game — a match
  20. root — the cause
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fine — high quality

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