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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: fall · root · bowl · chip · safe · deal · rash · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — for betting
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. chip — to eat
  20. root — the cause
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rash — a series
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fall — the season

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