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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: foot · lean · ground · plane · pit · bay · root · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. root — of a word
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ground — crushed
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — completely
  8. root — the cause
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — thin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. ground — the earth

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