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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spring — of water
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. net — for catching
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — in sport
  9. stock — goods
  10. root — of a plant
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spring — a coil
  13. net — after costs
  14. stock — shares
  15. spring — the season
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bore — to drill
  18. root — the cause
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — a thing
  21. bore — to tire
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. object — to protest

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