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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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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: club · saw · staff · pitch · root · net · perch · shower

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. root — the cause
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — a stick
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. root — of a plant
  11. shower — rain
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. shower — to wash
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. saw — the tool
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a word
  24. club — for dancing

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