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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: club · ruler · mug · rash · face · root · key · can

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — of a word
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. club — a group
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. key — for a lock
  17. club — for dancing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — for golf
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. root — the cause
  22. key — in music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. face — to point toward

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