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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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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: capital · root · lash · pitch · safe · leaves · bay · bear

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. capital — money
  5. root — of a word
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bear — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bear — the animal

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