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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. root — the cause
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rock — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. root — of a word
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spring — a coil
  24. stand — on your feet

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