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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — to sink
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. bass — low music
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bound — obliged
  10. lean — to bend
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lean — thin
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bound — certain
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bound — tied together
  22. root — the cause
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — there

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