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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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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: lie · fine · straw · pound · ball · face · root · perch

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pound — a weight
  4. face — to point toward
  5. root — the cause
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. face — to confront
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fine — high quality
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — of a word

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