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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · cue · face · bear · mine · cap

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. face — part of the head
  10. root — of a word
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. face — to confront
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — a hat
  17. root — of a plant
  18. cue — a hint

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