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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: root · rock · cue · pitch · date · face · stock · wave

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rock — a stone
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — music
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — part of the head
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitch — completely

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