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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. plane — a tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. root — of a word
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — a permit
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — in football
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. root — the cause

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