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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: root · swing · pit · rash · pop · patient · mate · bowl

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. root — the cause
  7. pop — to visit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rash — hasty
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pop — soda
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mate — a friend
  23. root — of a word
  24. rash — a series

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