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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. foot — a measure
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. row — a line
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. current — electric
  9. row — to paddle
  10. hand — help
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — happening now
  16. root — of a word
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hand — in cards
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. current — of water
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. plane — a tool

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