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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 120 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: ruler · face · root · straw · fork · rush · tube · leaves

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. face — to point toward
  6. root — the cause
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. tube — a container
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. face — part of the head
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. root — of a word
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rush — hurry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — to confront

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