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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fork — in a road
  4. roll — a cake
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitch — completely
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fall — to drop
  11. face — to confront
  12. root — of a word
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. toast — bread
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fall — to drop
  19. root — the cause
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. roll — a list
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. roll — on a roll

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