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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. root — the cause
  3. cue — for pool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. face — part of the head
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. degree — temperature
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — the season
  10. cue — a signal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. degree — from a university
  21. face — to confront
  22. degree — an amount
  23. root — of a word
  24. calf — a young animal

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