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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. club — a group
  6. face — to confront
  7. fall — to drop
  8. club — for dancing
  9. toast — bread
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. face — to point toward
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. kick — in football
  18. face — part of the head
  19. club — for golf
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fall — to drop

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