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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 124 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ground — a position
  19. plane — a tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ground — crushed

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