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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. present — there
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — happening now
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — help
  9. plane — a tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. current — electric
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hand — in cards
  18. root — of a plant
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. root — of a word
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. current — of water
  24. leaves — to go away

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