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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mark — a trace
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. land — a country
  10. pitch — completely
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. root — of a word
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a friend
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — a grade
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — to bear

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