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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: leaves · pitch · stick · band · lie · root · spell · rush

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — a short time
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. root — of a plant
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. root — of a word
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — the cause
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rush — hurry
  24. band — a ring

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