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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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Word bank
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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. root — the cause
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. root — of a word
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. scale — in music
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. scale — size or range

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