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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 120 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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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 · row · pitch · stand · club · fall · bear · current

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. root — the cause
  3. club — a group
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fall — the season
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. row — a line
  8. root — of a word
  9. fall — to drop
  10. current — of water
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. current — electric
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. current — happening now
  23. club — for golf
  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