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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.

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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: net · root · pound · scale · trunk · pit · rock · chip

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. root — of a word
  3. scale — size or range
  4. root — the cause
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rock — a stone
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. root — of a plant
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. net — for catching

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