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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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rash — hasty
  3. root — the cause
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. root — of a word
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wound — an injury
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rash — a series
  24. face — to confront

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