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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a word
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — the cause
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. season — in sport
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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