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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. club — for golf
  6. firm — decided
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. firm — a company
  9. march — the month
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. club — for dancing
  14. firm — steady
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — the cause
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. club — a group
  21. root — of a word
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rash — hasty

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