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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. scale — in music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — of a word
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. pass — a permit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. root — the cause
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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