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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. court — for sport
  8. root — the cause
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a committee
  11. court — of a king
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rush — hurry
  14. court — of law
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. root — of a word

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