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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 120 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.

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: straw · root · pitch · bulb · face · deal · current · plane

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. face — to confront
  7. root — the cause
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pitch — completely
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. current — of water
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — electric
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. root — of a plant

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