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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 120 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 · chip · root · racket · rash · bulb · calf · bore

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. root — of a word
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. root — the cause
  13. rash — a series
  14. bore — to tire
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chip — for betting
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rash — hasty
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bore — gave birth

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