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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. root — the cause
  3. can — to be able to
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — a tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — music
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — of a word
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — in geometry

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