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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 124 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. root — of a word
  4. face — part of the head
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — a contest
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a dance
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. land — a country
  17. race — humankind
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a plant
  22. land — to come down
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — ground

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