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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. face — part of the head
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. root — of a word
  5. pit — in a race
  6. root — of a plant
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. face — to confront
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. scale — in music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. face — to point toward
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pit — a hole
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. deal — to handle
  19. hand — help
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chip — to eat
  24. root — the cause

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