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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. court — for sport
  4. spring — the season
  5. stem — to come from
  6. hand — in cards
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hand — help
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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