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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. root — the cause
  5. march — music
  6. current — electric
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — the month
  11. face — to confront
  12. root — of a word
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — of water
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rest — what's left
  17. march — the month
  18. stock — goods
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. can — a tin
  22. stock — shares
  23. current — happening now
  24. face — part of the head

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