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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 124 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — the cause
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bat — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. mug — a cup
  9. root — of a plant
  10. snap — to click
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. land — a country
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. root — of a word
  24. bat — in an idiom

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