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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — of a word
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — to recline
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — the cause
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. squash — the sport

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