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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: pitcher · root · wave · bass · ruler · pit · arm · hide

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bass — the fish
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bass — low music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — the cause
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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