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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: root · pit · fan · foot · craft · game · pitch · rock

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. rock — a stone
  6. root — of a word
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pitch — completely
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a hole
  23. root — of a plant
  24. foot — the bottom

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