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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — size or range
  4. file — a document
  5. root — the cause
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. root — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. drill — a practice
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. root — of a word
  20. tube — the underground
  21. object — to protest
  22. scale — in music
  23. object — an aim
  24. plane — a tool

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