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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: foot · jam · roll · straw · root · object · pitch · hide

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. object — to protest
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — of a plant
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. object — an aim
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. object — a thing
  24. foot — a measure

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