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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. row — a line
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. root — of a word
  7. wind — moving air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. face — to confront
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. root — the cause
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stand — to bear
  20. prune — to trim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — to trim

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