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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: fall · firm · present · pitch · root · toast · rock · bank

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — the cause
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fall — the season
  10. toast — bread
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bank — for money
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. present — there
  20. root — of a word
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. root — of a plant
  24. toast — the most admired

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