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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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. pitcher — a jug
  4. rush — hurry
  5. can — to be able to
  6. content — the amount
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. kick — in football
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pit — a hole
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a word
  24. can — a tin

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