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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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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: key · pitch · root · leaves · fall · bear · can · temple

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — of a word
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — for a lock
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. root — of a plant
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fall — to drop
  20. root — the cause
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — the most important part
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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