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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · root · wake · face · ball · game · bat · ruler

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. bat — for baseball
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. face — to confront
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to point toward
  11. staff — employees
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wake — a trail
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bat — the animal
  20. game — a match
  21. root — the cause
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a plant
  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