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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: rash · suit · root · pound · court · nail · face · staff

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. root — of a plant
  6. staff — a stick
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. face — part of the head
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — the cause
  14. pound — a weight
  15. face — to confront
  16. court — for sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. rash — a series
  21. court — of a king
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. staff — employees
  24. root — of a word

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