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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. root — the cause
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. root — of a plant
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — to bear
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. track — a path
  15. cap — a lid
  16. track — a song
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — to keep track
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. game — a match
  23. root — of a word
  24. plane — in geometry

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