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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 · arm · net · prune · mug · bank · date · root

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. face — to confront
  3. root — the cause
  4. net — for catching
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mug — a cup
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — to rob
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — in sport
  20. date — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. net — after costs
  24. bank — of a river

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