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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. root — of a plant
  13. net — for catching
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. net — in sport
  16. face — to confront
  17. net — after costs
  18. pass — a permit
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a word

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