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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chest — of your body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. root — of a word
  6. chest — a box
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — to bend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chest — of your body
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. hide — to keep secret

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