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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. clip — for paper
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mate — a partner
  5. plane — a tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mate — a friend
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. clip — a video
  20. rush — hurry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — to hurry

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