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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 116 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: lie · lean · root · chair · mark · rest · club · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — a group
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chair — a leader
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — a trace
  11. club — for golf
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lean — to bend
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rest — a break
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lean — thin
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — a hole
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. chair — to sit on
  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