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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: root · jam · face · sharp · club · can · wind · cell

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. face — to confront
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. sharp — clever
  10. root — of a word
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. club — for dancing
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. root — of a plant
  19. club — a group
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. club — for golf

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