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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: current · face · coach · kick · perch · root · cabinet · tube

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. face — to point toward
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. kick — in football
  8. face — to confront
  9. tube — the underground
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — a container
  12. current — of water
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — the cause
  17. current — happening now
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. current — electric
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. face — part of the head

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