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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. key — the most important part
  4. march — the month
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. key — in music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chair — a leader
  15. root — of a word
  16. firm — a company
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. key — for a lock
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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