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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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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: stand · kick · pitch · bore · chest · race · hand · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kick — in football
  3. hand — in cards
  4. chest — a box
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bore — to drill
  7. chest — of your body
  8. root — of a word
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hand — help
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. race — the arms race
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. race — a contest
  21. bore — to tire
  22. race — humankind
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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