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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. root — the cause
  4. plane — a tool
  5. game — a match
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rest — what's left
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rule — government
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rest — a break
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. game — wild animals
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bore — to drill
  24. root — of a word

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