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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. board — a committee
  6. track — a path
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a word
  9. rule — a law
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. track — a song
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rule — government
  19. track — to keep track
  20. root — the cause
  21. mate — to breed
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pass — a permit

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