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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — of a word
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. root — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to confront
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — the cause
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rest — a break
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rock — music

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