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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: root · perch · lash · toast · swing · cap · pitch · season

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. root — the cause
  5. season — of the year
  6. root — of a word
  7. swing — music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. season — in sport
  11. perch — the fish
  12. swing — in golf
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitch — completely

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