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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: root · face · wound · suit · can · pound · shower · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. root — of a word
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. root — the cause
  5. can — to be able to
  6. face — part of the head
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pound — a weight
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. face — to confront
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — in cards
  24. root — of a plant

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