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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 116 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: net · root · pitch · wind · drill · sharp · swing · mouse

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wind — moving air
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. root — of a plant
  7. net — in sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. net — after costs
  13. drill — a practice
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. swing — to play on
  17. drill — army training
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. swing — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. root — of a word

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