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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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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — the time now
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — crushed
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — there
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. ball — a dance
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — a position
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — a stick
  20. root — of a word
  21. staff — employees
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ground — the earth
  24. present — a gift

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