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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: drill · squash · wave · row · dip · pitch · foot · root

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitch — completely
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. dip — to sink
  6. root — of a word
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. squash — to crush
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. drill — army training
  17. row — a line
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. squash — the sport
  20. drill — the tool
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. foot — a measure
  23. dip — a sauce
  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