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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — of a word
  4. rash — a series
  5. staff — a stick
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mine — for digging
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rash — hasty
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chair — a leader
  21. staff — employees
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. staff — employees

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