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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: mark · stick · root · fan · racket · kid · face · perch

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mark — a grade
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kid — child
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. root — of a word

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