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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. face — to point toward
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mate — a partner
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. root — of a word
  23. chip — to eat
  24. drill — a practice

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