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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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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: pound · firm · pitch · root · temple · pit · rule · fan

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitch — completely
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rule — government
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — in a race
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. firm — a company
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rule — a law

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