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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — a tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. prune — to trim
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. game — a match
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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