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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: toast · bore · jam · pitch · tube · snap · sharp · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — to tire
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — to drill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitch — completely
  16. tube — the underground
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. tube — a container
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. toast — bread
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. sharp — clever
  23. root — of a word
  24. tube — in a tire

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