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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · fan · wave · face · leaves · board · root · present

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. present — there
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — a gift
  9. board — to get on
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — the time now
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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