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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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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: chip · rock · root · pound · toast · march · rest · trunk

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. march — music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. root — of a word
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. march — the month
  14. toast — bread
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. root — the cause
  17. rock — a stone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. chip — to eat

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