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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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. root — the cause
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. hand — in cards
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. root — of a word
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. hand — help
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rash — a series

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