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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. root — of a plant
  3. firm — a company
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. march — the month
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. charge — a price
  16. root — the cause
  17. march — the month
  18. firm — steady
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. march — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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