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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. root — of a word
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — the cause
  8. deal — to handle
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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