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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a word
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — to confront
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rush — hurry
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pit — a hole

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