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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 · hide · arm · lie · fine · bark · pop

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. root — of a plant
  3. face — to confront
  4. pop — soda
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. root — of a word
  7. pop — music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fine — all right
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — the cause
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — to shout
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pop — to visit

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