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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. swing — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. swing — in golf
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. squash — the sport
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a word
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. date — the fruit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — part of the head
  17. land — to come down
  18. face — to confront
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — to point toward

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