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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: chip · bound · pit · stand · stick · root · can · net

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bound — certain
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. root — the cause
  9. bound — obliged
  10. can — a tin
  11. root — of a word
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — after costs
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bound — tied together
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. can — to be able to

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