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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 124 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. perch — the fish
  9. degree — an amount
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — the cause
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. degree — temperature
  15. roll — a list
  16. craft — boats
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. degree — from a university
  24. roll — on a roll

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