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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bound — certain
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — a company
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. root — of a plant
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. firm — steady
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. face — part of the head

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