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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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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: pitch · pitcher · temple · root · shower · wave · snap · plane

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. shower — rain
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. root — the cause
  8. snap — to click
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — of a word
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitch — completely
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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