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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — part of the head
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — temperature
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. degree — an amount
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. face — to confront
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. board — to get on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — a committee
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — from a university

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