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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — there
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. lean — thin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. root — the cause
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. plane — a tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lean — to bend

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