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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ground — the earth
  5. fine — high quality
  6. root — the cause
  7. rush — hurry
  8. tube — the underground
  9. root — of a word
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. tube — a container
  12. rest — a break
  13. ground — crushed
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — a position
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. track — a path
  23. root — of a plant
  24. track — a song

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