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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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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: ground · pit · content · mouse · pitch · root

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. content — happy
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. content — the amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. root — of a word
  17. ground — a position
  18. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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