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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — the cause
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. club — for dancing
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. club — a group
  11. pitch — completely
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — clothes
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chair — a leader

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