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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. root — the cause
  3. court — for sport
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mug — to rob
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ground — a position
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mug — a face
  17. court — of a king
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. court — of law
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. root — of a word
  23. calf — a young animal
  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