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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — a company
  5. capital — money
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — clothes
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pitch — completely
  10. capital — a city
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. firm — steady
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — in cards
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pound — a weight
  19. firm — decided
  20. root — of a word
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. suit — to fit

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