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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fall — the season
  6. firm — a company
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mark — a grade
  15. root — the cause
  16. fall — to drop
  17. row — to paddle
  18. root — of a word
  19. plane — a tool
  20. firm — steady
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mark — a trace
  24. root — of a plant

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