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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: pitch · rule · saw · present · lean · board · dip · root

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rule — government
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — of a plant
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. board — to get on
  8. lean — thin
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. saw — the tool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lean — to bend
  13. dip — to sink
  14. board — a committee
  15. present — there
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitch — completely
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rule — a law
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — the cause

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