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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wound — an injury
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. root — the cause
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rule — government
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ground — crushed
  18. can — a tin
  19. ground — a position
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rule — a law
  22. spring — the season
  23. root — of a word
  24. spring — of water

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