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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hand — help
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bass — low music
  12. root — the cause
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bass — the fish
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. root — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bowl — a dish
  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