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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
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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 · current · mate · tear · rush · root · prune · board

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. root — the cause
  5. tear — to rip
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. current — electric
  9. root — of a word
  10. current — of water
  11. mate — a friend
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rush — hurry
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. mate — to breed
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. root — of a plant
  21. face — to confront
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. board — a committee
  24. prune — to trim

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