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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. staff — employees
  4. drill — a practice
  5. plane — a tool
  6. swing — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. root — the cause
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. drill — the tool
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — a stone
  14. root — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. root — of a word
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — army training

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