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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 · bulb · face · snap · key · tube · chest · ball

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. root — of a word
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — of a plant
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. face — to confront
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chest — a box
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — a container
  19. chest — of your body
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. snap — to click
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — the cause
  24. key — the most important part

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