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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. last — finally
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a word
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitch — completely
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. last — to go on
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stand — to bear
  19. branch — a division
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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