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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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Word bank
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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. root — of a plant
  5. face — to confront
  6. branch — a division
  7. file — a line of people
  8. face — to point toward
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. root — of a word
  13. kick — in football
  14. fine — all right
  15. mine — for digging
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stand — to bear
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. file — a document
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. file — a tool

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