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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. root — of a word
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — the cause
  8. rash — hasty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. field — farmland
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — in music
  13. field — a subject
  14. ball — a great time
  15. root — of a plant
  16. key — for a lock
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — for sport
  24. ball — a round shape

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