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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: bound · rest · root · rash · net · mouse · track · face

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bound — obliged
  6. net — in sport
  7. bound — certain
  8. face — to confront
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. track — a path
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rash — a series
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. net — after costs
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — a break

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