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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. march — the month
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. root — the cause
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. root — of a word
  12. march — music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. march — the month
  15. board — a committee
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fall — the season
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pitch — a sports field

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