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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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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 · scale · dip · staff · cue · root · snap · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — the cause
  4. mate — to breed
  5. scale — in music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cue — a hint
  8. root — of a plant
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mate — a friend
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. root — of a word
  13. snap — to click
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cue — a signal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cue — for pool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pit — a hole
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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