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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. degree — from a university
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — thin
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — a gift
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. degree — an amount
  14. present — the time now
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. present — there
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. root — of a word
  22. lean — to bend
  23. root — of a plant
  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