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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: racket · object · cell · face · stick · straw · root · wind

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cell — in biology
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. object — an aim
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — to confront
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. object — a thing
  17. root — of a word
  18. object — to protest
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. wind — moving air
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — the cause

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