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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. capital — money
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — of a plant
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — of a word
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. root — the cause
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. capital — a city
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — an aircraft

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