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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — what's left
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. game — wild animals
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rest — a break
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mate — to breed
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. game — a match

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