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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — completely
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. staff — a stick
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fork — in a road
  24. stand — on your feet

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