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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. hand — in cards
  3. root — of a plant
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. root — the cause
  12. hand — help
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ground — the earth
  17. root — of a word
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ground — a position
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. plane — an aircraft

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