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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 124 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: pitcher · scale · net · root · fall · safe

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. net — after costs
  6. fall — to drop
  7. net — for catching
  8. scale — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a word
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. pitcher — a jug

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