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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a skill
  3. suit — in cards
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. capital — a city
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. capital — money
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a word
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. craft — boats
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bulb — of a plant

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