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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: pit · march · key · root · stand · sharp · racket · bear

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. march — the month
  4. bear — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — to bear
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — for a lock
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pit — in a race
  12. march — the month
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. pit — a hole
  24. sharp — clever

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