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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: tube · snap · bound · face · cue · root · pit · wave

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cue — for pool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cue — a hint
  7. root — of a word
  8. snap — to click
  9. bound — certain
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. tube — a container
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — in a race
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — part of the head

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