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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — a committee
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. root — of a word
  7. face — part of the head
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. face — to confront
  12. spell — a short time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. root — of a plant
  21. spell — letters
  22. face — to point toward
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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