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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. root — of a plant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. key — in music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — the most important part
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bank — for money
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wound — an injury

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