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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: chip · root · deal · roll · pound · bark · staff · stick

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — a stick
  4. root — of a word
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. root — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. bark — to shout
  10. roll — a list
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pound — a weight
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bark — of a tree

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