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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: lash · capital · rock · root · bulb · deal · pitch · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rock — a stone
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. root — of a word
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. capital — money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. root — the cause
  18. capital — a city
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitch — completely
  24. capital — a big letter

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