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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. face — to point toward
  3. root — the cause
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. root — of a plant
  6. object — an aim
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — to bear
  15. tube — a container
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. face — part of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tube — the underground
  22. face — to confront
  23. kick — in football
  24. object — a thing

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