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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. mine — for digging
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. root — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. field — for sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. root — of a word
  20. rest — what's left
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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