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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. face — to confront
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. net — after costs
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — the most important part
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — in sport
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mine — for digging

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