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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — crushed
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ground — a position
  23. root — of a word
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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