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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: firm · root · racket · cell · rest · object · shower · face

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. cell — a phone
  4. shower — rain
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — the cause
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cell — in biology
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. rest — what's left
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. object — an aim
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — decided
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rest — a break
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. cell — in a prison

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