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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. root — of a plant
  8. chip — for betting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. root — of a word
  16. plane — a tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. toast — bread
  23. root — the cause
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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