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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: swing · stick · craft · pit · key · root · chip · arm

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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 — to eat
  2. root — of a plant
  3. key — in music
  4. root — of a word
  5. swing — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. craft — boats
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — for betting
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pit — in a race
  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