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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. root — of a plant
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. stock — shares
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fork — in a road
  15. plane — a tool
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. root — of a word
  20. stock — goods
  21. dip — to sink
  22. suit — to fit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mouse — the animal

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