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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 120 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. file — a tool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stem — to come from
  4. root — of a plant
  5. swing — in golf
  6. file — a document
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. swing — to play on
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. plane — a tool
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. file — a line of people
  16. face — to confront
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. leaves — to go away
  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