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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: calf · face · vault · toast · leaves · dip · wave · root

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — of a word
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. root — of a plant
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. face — part of the head
  15. dip — to sink
  16. root — the cause
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. face — to confront
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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