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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · lash · coach · rock · plane · row · root · field

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. field — for sport
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. row — a line
  13. rock — a stone
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. plane — a tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — to move gently

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