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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. root — the cause
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. root — of a word
  7. plane — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stock — goods
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — to breed
  22. squash — the sport
  23. root — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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