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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 120 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: pop · kick · root · band · rush · stock · rock · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. chip — for betting
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. band — a ring
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kick — in football
  11. root — of a word
  12. pop — music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. band — a music group
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. stock — goods
  22. rock — music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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