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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mate — to breed
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cold — not warm
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — of a word
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. branch — a division
  21. mate — a partner
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a tree

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