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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. face — to point toward
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. present — the time now
  6. rash — hasty
  7. present — there
  8. capital — money
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. capital — a city
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — a series
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to confront
  16. kick — in football
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. root — of a word
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — a gift
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bowl — a football final

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