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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.

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: mark · root · field · wave · pitch · lean · bass · ground

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bass — the fish
  3. field — farmland
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ground — a position
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bass — low music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. root — of a word
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. root — the cause

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