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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. press — newspapers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. face — part of the head
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. face — to confront

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