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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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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: tube · root · present · coach · snap · face · rule · scale

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. face — to point toward
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. rule — government
  6. tube — a container
  7. face — to confront
  8. tube — the underground
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. snap — to click
  13. scale — size or range
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — a law
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. face — part of the head
  19. present — the time now
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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