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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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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 · lash · root · rest · straw · kick · present · safe

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. root — the cause
  3. present — there
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — of a word
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. present — a gift
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. present — the time now
  18. kick — in football
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. root — of a plant
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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