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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. root — of a word
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. row — to paddle
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. clip — for paper
  12. firm — steady
  13. root — the cause
  14. clip — a video
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. clip — to cut
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. pitch — completely
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — a company
  23. root — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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