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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 116 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: tube · scale · hide · stand · lean · mark · pitcher · root

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. root — of a word
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — the cause
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a plant
  9. scale — size or range
  10. lean — to bend
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. scale — in music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mark — to pay attention

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