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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.

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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. net — in sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. squash — the sport
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. squash — to crush
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. game — wild animals
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. net — for catching
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. net — after costs
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. deal — to handle
  22. game — a match
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. deal — an agreement

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