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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 124 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. root — of a plant
  6. last — final
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. root — the cause
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitch — completely
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. root — of a word
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lean — thin
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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