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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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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 · roll · arm · bark · present · deal · root · kick

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. present — the time now
  4. bark — to shout
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. root — the cause
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. face — to confront
  9. deal — to handle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. face — to point toward
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. root — of a plant
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. present — a gift
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. root — of a word
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. face — part of the head

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