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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — in cards
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ground — crushed
  8. charge — in control
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — a position
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. face — to confront
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitch — completely

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