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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mate — a partner
  3. root — of a word
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mate — a friend
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bank — for money
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bank — for money
  17. mark — a grade
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rock — music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. face — part of the head
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bank — of a river

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