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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · present · suit · root · arm · ground · bat · face

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. face — to confront
  5. can — a tin
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. present — the time now
  9. root — of a plant
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. root — the cause
  12. suit — clothes
  13. present — there
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ground — a position
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — the animal
  23. root — of a word
  24. face — to point toward

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