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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — of a word
  3. wind — moving air
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. face — part of the head
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. face — to confront

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