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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
468
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: rush · root · jam · key · face · tube · staff · cell

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. staff — employees
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rush — hurry
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. root — of a plant
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — for a lock
  11. tube — a container
  12. face — part of the head
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. root — the cause
  16. tube — the underground
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. root — of a word
  19. staff — employees
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. key — in music
  23. rush — to hurry
  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