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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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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: deal · pit · wave · mug · pitch · mine · shower · root

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. root — of a word
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. mug — a face
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitch — completely
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mine — for digging
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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