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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — a subject
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — to confront
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — of a word
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — in golf
  11. field — for sport
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. face — to point toward
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — farmland
  17. face — part of the head
  18. swing — music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ground — crushed
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. root — of a plant
  24. swing — to play on

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