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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 · cold · root · rash · stand · bark · board · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — to bear
  6. root — the cause
  7. board — a committee
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rock — music
  12. rash — a series
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. cold — not warm
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. face — to point toward
  19. board — to get on
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. root — of a word
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. board — a flat piece

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