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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 · trunk · pound · row · root · rock · foot · mug

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rock — music
  3. face — to confront
  4. pound — a weight
  5. face — part of the head
  6. root — of a plant
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. row — a line
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. foot — a measure
  11. row — to paddle
  12. mug — a cup
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mug — to rob
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mug — a face
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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