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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: root · date · pitch · toast · hide · nail · foot · drill

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. drill — a practice
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — the cause
  8. toast — bread
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitch — completely
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. root — of a word
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. root — of a plant

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