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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: mate · root · pit · fork · can · file · pop · hide

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — in a race
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — of a word
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — soda
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mate — to breed
  14. file — a document
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. file — a tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pop — to visit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pop — music

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