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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: pit · bowl · object · racket · pound · root · drill · cap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pit — in a race
  7. root — of a word
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cap — a hat
  10. object — a thing
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — an aim
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — army training
  17. object — to protest
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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