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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: staff · mug · lie · rash · wind · roll · pitch · root

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. staff — employees
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. staff — employees
  9. roll — a cake
  10. staff — a stick
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. root — of a word
  19. wind — moving air
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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