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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 116 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
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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: cabinet · lie · ground · branch · chip · pop · root · kick

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pop — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. root — of a word
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. root — the cause
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ground — a position
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. ground — crushed

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