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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
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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: roll · dip · wax · craft · root · nail · face · chair

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. root — the cause
  3. face — to confront
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. dip — to sink
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. craft — boats
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. root — of a word
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — to grow
  16. root — of a plant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. roll — a list
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. roll — a cake
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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