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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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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — part of the head
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — of a word
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. face — to confront
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fall — to drop
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pound — a weight
  20. root — the cause
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fall — the season
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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