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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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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: tear · pitch · can · racket · snap · jam · root · leaves

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pitch — completely
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. can — a tin
  12. tear — to rip
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. root — of a plant
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. root — the cause
  22. snap — to click
  23. root — of a word
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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