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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. rest — a break
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. field — for sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. field — a subject
  20. stem — to come from
  21. field — farmland
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. root — of a word
  24. cue — for pool

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