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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · pitch · root · patient · leaves · staff · lie · game

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. staff — a stick
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitch — completely
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. game — wild animals
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. game — a match
  12. lie — to recline
  13. root — the cause
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. staff — employees
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. game — a kind of play

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