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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. craft — a skill
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. face — to confront
  10. root — of a word
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cap — a lid
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cap — of ice
  20. craft — boats
  21. cap — a hat
  22. face — to point toward
  23. root — the cause
  24. kick — with a leg

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