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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.

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: calf · face · charge · leaves · track · rest · field · root

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — of a plant
  4. field — farmland
  5. charge — a price
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — part of the head
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. charge — in control
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a path
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. field — a subject
  20. root — the cause
  21. rest — a break
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. track — a song

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