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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pitch — completely
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — a division
  6. face — to point toward
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — of a word
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. root — the cause
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — to get on
  23. bass — low music
  24. board — a committee

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