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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — in music
  9. root — the cause
  10. squash — the sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. pass — a permit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. net — in sport
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. net — for catching
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. net — after costs

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