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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mug — a cup
  4. root — the cause
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. root — of a plant
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. ground — a position
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mug — to rob
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mug — a face
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. root — of a word
  19. rule — government
  20. ground — the earth
  21. face — to confront
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. face — to point toward

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