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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: face · date · pit · field · bank · root · ruler · jam

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — of a word
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — a subject
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a plant
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bank — for money
  16. face — part of the head
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. face — to confront
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. root — the cause
  24. date — the fruit

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