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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. club — a group
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. bat — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. root — the cause
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. club — for golf
  20. face — to point toward
  21. kid — child
  22. face — part of the head
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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