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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. cap — a hat
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. board — to get on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. fall — the season
  10. firm — steady
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cap — of ice
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. plane — a tool
  18. root — of a plant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. root — the cause
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. root — of a word
  24. fall — to drop

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