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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. key — the most important part
  4. face — to confront
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. face — part of the head
  7. key — in music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. root — the cause
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — completely
  16. root — of a word
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. root — of a plant
  19. face — to point toward
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a hole
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pit — in a race
  24. patient — a sick person

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