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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: pitch · wax · deal · root · mate · straw · plane · rush

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pitch — completely
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mate — a partner
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wax — to grow
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. root — the cause
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mate — to breed

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