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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
468
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: face · staff · suit · object · root · bear · arm · last

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. staff — a stick
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — clothes
  8. root — of a plant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. last — to go on
  12. object — a thing
  13. face — part of the head
  14. object — to protest
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bear — the animal
  17. face — to confront
  18. staff — employees
  19. object — an aim
  20. face — to point toward
  21. last — finally
  22. staff — employees
  23. last — final
  24. arm — part of the body

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