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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. root — of a plant
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. root — the cause
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pound — a weight
  16. squash — to crush
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. root — of a word
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rock — a stone
  24. plane — in geometry

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