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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · content · root · bulb · fan · dip · branch · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — the amount
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. root — the cause

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