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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. root — of a plant
  3. object — an aim
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. object — to protest
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. pitch — completely
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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