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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. charge — a price
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. craft — a skill
  6. root — of a plant
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spring — of water
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bass — the fish
  13. root — the cause
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. charge — in control
  17. craft — boats
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. charge — electricity
  22. root — of a word
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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