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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — of a word
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rule — government
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wound — an injury
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. root — the cause
  18. key — in music
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cap — of ice
  23. key — the most important part
  24. plane — a tool

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