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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — of a word
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. object — an aim
  14. hand — in cards
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. root — the cause
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. face — to confront
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hand — help
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — an aircraft

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