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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tube — a container
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. root — the cause
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — part of the head
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. scale — in music
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. face — to confront

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