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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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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — the cause
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. firm — decided
  6. face — part of the head
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mark — a trace
  9. drill — army training
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — a company
  13. lie — to recline
  14. root — of a plant
  15. drill — the tool
  16. court — of a king
  17. firm — steady
  18. face — to confront
  19. court — of law
  20. bass — low music
  21. court — for sport
  22. bass — the fish
  23. root — of a word
  24. mark — a grade

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