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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — the cause
  4. toast — bread
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. face — to point toward
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. face — to confront
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. date — the fruit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. root — of a plant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. root — of a word

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