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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: face · bound · season · fall · root · fork · craft · toast

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — of a word
  3. bound — obliged
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fall — the season
  6. face — to confront
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. face — part of the head
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bound — certain
  13. craft — boats
  14. season — in sport
  15. fork — in a road
  16. root — the cause
  17. fall — to drop
  18. craft — a skill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. season — of the year
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fall — to drop
  24. toast — bread

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