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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: root · clip · face · dip · cabinet · net · deal · mate

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. clip — a video
  3. deal — to handle
  4. net — for catching
  5. root — of a word
  6. face — to confront
  7. root — the cause
  8. mate — a partner
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. clip — for paper
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. face — part of the head
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. dip — to dunk
  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