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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 · tube · race · press · bay · game · face · deal

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. face — part of the head
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. race — a contest
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. race — humankind
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. tube — the underground
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — a publisher
  15. game — a match
  16. race — the arms race
  17. face — to confront
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. face — to point toward
  22. tube — a container
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a word

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