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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. root — the cause
  4. capital — a city
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rash — hasty
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. plane — a tool
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. capital — money
  12. root — of a word
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chip — for betting
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rash — a series
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bat — the animal
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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