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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. root — the cause
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. club — a group
  14. squash — to crush
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. club — for dancing
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. root — of a word
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — the sport
  24. club — for golf

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