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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: face · foot · net · roll · root · tear · hand · lie

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. roll — a cake
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — the cause
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a word
  9. tear — from crying
  10. net — in sport
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — after costs
  14. face — to confront
  15. foot — a measure
  16. roll — a list
  17. tear — to rip
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. net — for catching
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — of a plant
  23. hand — help
  24. tear — from crying

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