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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — the cause
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mine — for digging
  24. tube — the underground

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