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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. root — the cause
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — a division
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — to protest
  10. root — of a plant
  11. face — part of the head
  12. object — a thing
  13. root — of a word
  14. date — the fruit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. object — an aim
  17. face — to point toward
  18. date — on the calendar

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