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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. prune — to trim
  4. face — to confront
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — to bend
  10. face — to point toward
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. track — a path
  14. prune — to trim
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — part of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. track — a song
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. track — to keep track

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