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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a trace
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. root — of a word
  10. fall — to drop
  11. board — to get on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. last — final
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. board — a committee
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fall — to drop
  19. last — finally
  20. mark — a grade
  21. last — to go on
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — the cause

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