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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. game — a match
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mark — a trace
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. spring — of water
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spring — the season

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