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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. root — of a plant
  4. object — an aim
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — the cause
  8. bank — for money
  9. root — of a word
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. pass — a permit
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — a tool

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