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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: kick · pit · saw · plane · racket · pop · root · pitch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — music
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kick — in football
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pit — a hole
  11. root — of a plant
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. plane — a tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. saw — the tool
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pop — soda
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pop — to visit
  24. racket — for tennis

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