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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 geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — the cause
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. plane — a tool
  8. key — in music
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ground — crushed
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ground — the earth
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. root — of a plant
  23. ground — a position
  24. cell — in biology

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