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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 120 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 · bank · mine · net · degree · root · pit · can

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mine — for digging
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. net — for catching
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. root — the cause
  11. degree — from a university
  12. can — a tin
  13. degree — temperature
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — in a race
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bank — for money

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