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

Word bank: face · club · calf · mark · fine · root · race · coach

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. root — of a word
  3. club — a group
  4. race — the arms race
  5. face — to confront
  6. mark — a trace
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. club — for golf
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — a contest
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fine — all right
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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