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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. charge — in control
  3. fall — to drop
  4. charge — electricity
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bank — for money
  7. fall — the season
  8. root — of a word
  9. bound — certain
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — for money
  12. fall — to drop
  13. dip — to sink
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bank — of a river
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — the cause

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