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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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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. root — of a word
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — the cause
  5. key — in music
  6. pop — soda
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. shower — rain
  10. key — the most important part
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pop — music
  14. fall — the season
  15. root — of a plant
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fall — to drop
  22. face — to confront
  23. fall — to drop
  24. face — part of the head

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