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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.

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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — the cause
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — a permit

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