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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. root — of a word
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. row — to paddle
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. root — of a plant
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. row — a line

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