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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 116 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: stand · bulb · coach · pitch · trunk · root · fall · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fall — the season
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — the cause
  8. pitch — completely
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. root — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — of a word
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. coach — a trainer

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