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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 116 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: staff · content · mug · racket · vault · squash · pitch · root

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — to rob
  3. content — happy
  4. mug — a cup
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitch — completely
  7. squash — the sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — a safe
  12. staff — a stick
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. content — the amount
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. root — the cause
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. squash — to crush

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