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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: pit · saw · shower · root · chip · band · sharp · mug

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. saw — the tool
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pit — in a race
  6. shower — to wash
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mug — a cup
  9. root — of a plant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mug — a face
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. root — of a word
  22. chip — to eat
  23. band — a ring
  24. root — the cause

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