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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. band — a music group
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — to point toward
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. face — to confront
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. band — a ring
  13. deal — to handle
  14. staff — employees
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — the cause
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. staff — a stick
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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