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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: root · pit · rock · rule · sharp · chip · bay · swing

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — in golf
  5. root — of a word
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rock — a stone
  12. swing — music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rule — government
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. root — the cause
  21. pit — in a race
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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