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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — of a word
  4. object — to protest
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — a thing
  7. lean — thin
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rock — music
  13. bound — certain
  14. root — the cause
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lean — to bend
  18. object — an aim
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bound — obliged

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