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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.

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: root · bass · pass · leaves · pitch · chest · bore · spell

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. chest — a box
  5. root — of a word
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pass — a permit
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spell — magic
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. chest — of your body

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