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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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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: kick · stand · pitch · root · branch · chip · patient · craft

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitch — completely
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. craft — boats
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kick — in football
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — of a plant
  22. branch — a division
  23. root — of a word
  24. craft — a handicraft

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