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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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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: root · face · fall · pass · perch · nail · foot · rest

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fall — the season
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rest — a break
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a word
  15. face — to point toward
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. face — to confront
  19. fall — to drop
  20. root — the cause
  21. pass — a permit
  22. root — of a plant
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — to succeed

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