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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: lie · present · wake · root · face · bark · jam · arm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. present — a gift
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. present — the time now
  11. root — of a word
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — a trail
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bark — to shout
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — there
  23. bark — of a tree
  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