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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  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. root — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — a publisher
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. press — to push
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. game — wild animals
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. can — a tin
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. root — of a word
  20. game — a match
  21. press — newspapers
  22. field — a subject
  23. hide — animal skin
  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