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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.

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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bound — tied together
  9. march — music
  10. rash — hasty
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. march — the month
  17. root — the cause
  18. rash — a series
  19. lean — thin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lean — to bend
  22. march — the month
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lean — to rest against

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