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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. content — the amount
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. content — happy
  9. root — of a plant
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mine — for digging
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lean — thin
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. mine — an explosive

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