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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rock — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. bound — certain
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bound — tied together
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — an illness
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bound — obliged
  21. root — the cause
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cold — the Cold War

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