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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — the cause
  3. scale — in music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mate — a friend
  9. tube — a container
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mate — to breed
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. band — a ring
  15. lie — to recline
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. band — a music group
  18. tube — the underground
  19. scale — size or range
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. root — of a word
  24. scale — for weighing

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