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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. clip — for paper
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. root — the cause
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. clip — a video
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — letters
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spell — a short time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — magic
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — in music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. clip — to cut
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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