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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. root — the cause
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bass — low music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. root — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — with your hand

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