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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 120 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. race — a contest
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. root — the cause
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. race — the arms race
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. root — of a word
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — humankind
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. root — of a plant
  24. deal — to handle

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