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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: pit · current · coach · root · wave · racket · pitcher · wake

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. current — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. root — the cause
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — of a word
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. current — electric
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pit — in a race
  22. current — happening now
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a hole

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