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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rest — a break
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. scale — in music
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stand — to bear

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