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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 116 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: bass · tube · saw · perch · wave · root · suit · pitch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — of a word
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. root — of a plant
  9. tube — a container
  10. pitch — completely
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. saw — the tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. suit — to fit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — clothes

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