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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — of a word
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. ball — a dance
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — to sink
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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