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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: rash · face · stand · pit · clip · cue · can · root

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — of a plant
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — of a word
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pit — a hole
  10. clip — a video
  11. pit — in a race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. can — a tin
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cue — a signal
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cue — for pool
  23. root — the cause
  24. clip — for paper

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