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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. root — of a plant
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — boats
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — the cause
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — thin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — the animal

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