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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. key — in music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spring — a coil
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — a company
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spring — the season
  15. key — the most important part
  16. firm — steady
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. root — the cause

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