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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fine — high quality
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mate — to breed
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. mate — a friend
  20. root — of a word
  21. mate — a partner
  22. firm — a company
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — steady

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