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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. root — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — in cards

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