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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: pitch · bat · dip · root · band · press · toast · lash

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. root — the cause
  5. band — a music group
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. press — a publisher
  12. band — a ring
  13. press — to push
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. toast — bread
  17. root — of a word
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bat — the animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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