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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · land · root · ball · pitch · saw · mate · dip

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. land — to come down
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mate — a partner
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. land — a country
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. land — ground
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — a thing
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — of a plant

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