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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: cell · root · toast · suit · ruler · ball · mate · face

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. ball — a dance
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — clothes
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cell — in biology
  16. root — of a word
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — bread
  21. mate — to breed
  22. root — the cause
  23. ball — a great time
  24. toast — the most admired

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