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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: face · rock · dip · rash · snap · hand · root · squash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. root — of a word
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. root — the cause
  5. hand — in cards
  6. snap — to click
  7. root — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rock — music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hand — help
  15. face — to point toward
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rock — a stone
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rash — a series
  23. squash — the sport
  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