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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: root · wave · arm · kick · scale · capital · drill · face

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. drill — the tool
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. face — part of the head
  10. capital — money
  11. root — of a word
  12. scale — in music
  13. drill — a practice
  14. capital — a city
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. root — of a plant
  19. drill — army training
  20. kick — in football
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to confront
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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