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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · key · leaves · pitch · board · root

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. root — of a word
  3. game — wild animals
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. game — a match
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. key — for a lock
  10. board — a committee
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — the most important part
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. root — the cause
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. leaves — lets stay

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