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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cap — a lid
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. face — to point toward
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. band — a ring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. face — part of the head
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. band — a music group
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. face — to confront
  24. fan — a supporter

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