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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: pitch · net · bat · root · bowl · mug · sharp · current

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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 word
  2. current — electric
  3. pitch — completely
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mug — a face
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. net — in sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. current — of water
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. net — after costs
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. net — for catching
  20. bat — the animal
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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