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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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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. root — of a word
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. root — the cause
  13. charge — in control
  14. rock — music
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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