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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pitch — completely
  3. net — for catching
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. root — the cause
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stock — shares
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lean — thin
  15. present — a gift
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. present — the time now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — after costs
  21. present — there
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — a lid

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