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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: rock · mate · root · lie · game · leaves · pit · chip

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — of a word
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rock — a stone
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mate — a friend
  9. game — wild animals
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rock — music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. root — the cause
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mate — a partner
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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