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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. face — to confront
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. current — electric
  10. root — of a plant
  11. suit — clothes
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — happening now
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — in cards
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to point toward
  20. season — of the year
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — of water
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. root — the cause

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