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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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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 · lie · rest · mug · fork · face · sharp · race

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fork — in a road
  5. root — of a word
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. race — the arms race
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. face — to confront
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — to point toward
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — an untruth

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