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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. scale — in music
  3. root — the cause
  4. scale — size or range
  5. firm — steady
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — a company
  9. board — to get on
  10. content — the amount
  11. cap — a hat
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. face — to confront
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cap — a lid
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — happy
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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