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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 120 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: root · face · capital · bore · vault · trunk · ground · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — the cause
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. root — of a plant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ground — a position
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. root — of a word
  23. bore — to drill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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