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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — to crush
  5. tube — a container
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. key — in music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. root — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — the underground
  17. root — of a word
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cue — for pool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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