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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. fine — high quality
  5. row — to paddle
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rock — music
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a line
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cold — not warm
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — of a word
  23. cold — an illness
  24. fine — all right

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