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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · rock · tube · rule · root · plane · net · pitch

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. net — in sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. net — after costs
  9. tube — the underground
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rock — music
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rule — government
  20. root — of a word
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. root — the cause
  23. tube — a container
  24. rock — a stone

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