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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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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 · tube · mark · pitch · pit · bowl · wave · root

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. tube — a container
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — the cause
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. root — of a word
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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