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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: face · suit · root · wound · wave · lean · kick · fine

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. root — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — of a word
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — part of the head
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. face — to confront
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — all right

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