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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: face · net · squash · jam · root · can · capital · mouse

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — a tin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. capital — money
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. face — to point toward
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. capital — a city
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — to confront
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. net — in sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — the sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. face — part of the head

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