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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: present · pound · bulb · lean · root · chip · game · pit

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pit — a hole
  10. present — the time now
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. present — a gift
  13. lean — thin
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — in a race
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — there
  24. bulb — for light

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