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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: pitch · racket · bore · chair · trunk · lash · mark · root

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. root — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. root — the cause
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — a grade
  22. root — of a word
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. racket — a loud noise

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