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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. land — a country
  4. root — of a plant
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cap — a lid
  10. land — ground
  11. bass — low music
  12. land — to come down
  13. cap — a hat
  14. file — a tool
  15. root — of a word
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bass — the fish
  24. plane — an aircraft

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