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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rash — hasty
  5. root — the cause
  6. hand — help
  7. face — to confront
  8. rule — a law
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. staff — a stick
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. staff — employees
  15. rule — government
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. track — a song
  18. root — of a word
  19. track — a path
  20. hand — in cards
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — to keep track
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — to rule out

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