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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — a tool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. fall — the season
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. root — of a word
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. plane — in geometry

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