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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: pop · root · pitch · wind · trunk · board · tube · perch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — the underground
  8. root — of a plant
  9. perch — the fish
  10. board — to get on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. root — of a word
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pop — music
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wind — moving air
  22. board — a committee
  23. tube — a container
  24. pop — soda

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