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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fall — to drop
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fall — the season
  8. root — of a plant
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a word
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. root — the cause
  17. band — a music group
  18. track — a path
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — a song
  23. rest — a break
  24. mouse — the animal

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