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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.

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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. object — a thing
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rule — a law
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. object — an aim
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. object — to protest
  24. root — the cause

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