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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mark · chair · root · tube · lie · pitcher · kid

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. pop — soda
  3. root — of a word
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pop — to visit
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pop — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — a trace
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. kid — child
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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