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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 120 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: mate · bear · pitch · rest · row · stand · root · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. root — of a plant
  15. row — a line
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rest — a break
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. root — the cause
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. row — a quarrel

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