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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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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: season · foot · stick · wave · chest · pitch · pit · root

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — in sport
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitch — completely
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. root — of a word
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. season — of the year
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chest — a box
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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