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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. root — of a plant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. root — of a word
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. root — the cause
  19. race — a contest
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. perch — the fish
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. plane — an aircraft

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