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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. current — happening now
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. spell — magic
  7. root — of a plant
  8. spell — a short time
  9. current — electric
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — of a word
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spell — letters
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lean — thin
  21. root — the cause
  22. current — of water
  23. rock — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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