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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rest — a break
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cue — for pool
  14. land — ground
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. cue — a hint
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — to come down
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pit — in a race

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