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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. scale — size or range
  3. present — the time now
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — there
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. board — to get on
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. face — to confront
  11. root — of a plant
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. root — the cause
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. scale — in music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a committee
  22. present — a gift
  23. root — of a word
  24. deal — a big deal

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