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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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. root — of a plant
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. court — of law
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. court — for sport
  11. pound — a weight
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. court — of a king
  17. file — a document
  18. sharp — clever
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. root — of a word
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — the cause

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