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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. face — to confront
  4. root — of a word
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — happening now
  7. root — the cause
  8. current — of water
  9. face — to point toward
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wax — to grow
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. current — electric
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. net — for catching
  23. mug — a cup
  24. net — in sport

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