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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. face — to confront
  7. march — the month
  8. root — the cause
  9. charge — a price
  10. can — a tin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. root — of a word
  16. march — the month
  17. key — in music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. charge — in control
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. charge — electricity
  23. march — music
  24. root — of a plant

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