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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — for golf
  7. face — to point toward
  8. club — a group
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. club — for dancing
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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