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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 116 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: root · current · season · bulb · pitch · suit · rule · face

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. root — of a word
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rule — government
  6. season — in sport
  7. suit — in cards
  8. face — to point toward
  9. root — of a plant
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — a law
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. face — to confront
  17. current — electric
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. root — the cause
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pitch — completely
  22. current — of water
  23. season — of the year
  24. bulb — for light

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