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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 120 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: capital · wind · bulb · scale · root · plane · cue · pitch

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — in music
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. capital — money
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. scale — size or range
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — a tool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. cue — for pool
  19. capital — a city
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. scale — for weighing

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