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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. root — the cause
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cap — a lid
  5. spell — magic
  6. plane — a tool
  7. spell — a short time
  8. swing — music
  9. spell — letters
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cap — of ice
  14. firm — steady
  15. swing — to play on
  16. root — of a word
  17. firm — a company
  18. root — of a plant
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. snap — to click
  23. firm — decided
  24. cap — a hat

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