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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: game · dip · bark · root · fan · pitch · lean · mug

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. lean — thin
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. root — of a word
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitch — completely
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. root — the cause
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mug — a face
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — a cup

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