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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. land — to come down
  4. object — an aim
  5. land — ground
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. root — of a word
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. land — a country
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — to protest
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. object — a thing
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — the cause
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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