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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: roll · face · chest · mark · lash · lie · nail · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a grade
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. roll — a cake
  11. face — to confront
  12. chest — a box
  13. face — part of the head
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mark — a trace
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lie — to recline
  20. roll — a list
  21. face — to point toward
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. root — of a word
  24. chest — of your body

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