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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lie — to recline
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. field — a subject
  21. root — the cause
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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