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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a plant
  10. face — to point toward
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — of a word
  21. spell — letters
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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