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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bank — of a river
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bank — for money
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. root — the cause
  18. deal — to handle
  19. root — of a plant
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. saw — the tool
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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