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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — high quality
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. root — of a word
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. root — the cause
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — all right
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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