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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. root — of a word
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — part of the head
  11. degree — an amount
  12. chip — to eat
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. face — to confront
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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