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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: mug · pit · sharp · row · chair · snap · root · nail

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pit — in a race
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — a leader
  7. root — of a word
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mug — a cup
  11. snap — to click
  12. row — a line
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pit — a hole
  16. root — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mug — a face
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mug — to rob
  23. row — to paddle
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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