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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. toast — bread
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fall — the season
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. present — there
  20. root — of a word
  21. present — a gift
  22. fall — to drop
  23. face — to confront
  24. present — the time now

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