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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: racket · row · face · root · current · rush · mate · temple

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. face — to point toward
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mate — a friend
  8. root — the cause
  9. face — part of the head
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mate — a partner
  12. current — of water
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mate — to breed
  19. current — electric
  20. row — to paddle
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rush — hurry
  24. row — a line

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