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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. object — an aim
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. toast — bread
  6. cold — an illness
  7. pitch — completely
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. root — the cause
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cold — not warm
  13. present — the time now
  14. object — to protest
  15. present — there
  16. object — a thing
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. present — a gift
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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