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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. face — to point toward
  3. object — an aim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. root — the cause
  6. face — to confront
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. bear — the animal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. object — a thing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — music
  24. temple — side of the head

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