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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: face · root · rule · net · squash · safe · roll · hand

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. root — the cause
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. root — of a word
  6. hand — help
  7. rule — government
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. roll — a cake
  11. squash — to crush
  12. hand — in cards
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. squash — the sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. face — part of the head
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — of a plant
  23. net — for catching
  24. roll — a list

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