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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: mate · root · can · chair · club · snap · pitch · rock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. club — for golf
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — a partner
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. root — of a word
  17. club — for dancing
  18. rock — a stone
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. can — a tin
  22. club — a group
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. can — to be able to

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