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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: pit · firm · craft · pitch · toast · straw · wound · root

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — decided
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wound — an injury
  9. toast — bread
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wound — an injury
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. root — of a plant
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. root — the cause
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. root — of a word

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