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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. root — of a plant
  8. spell — letters
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. root — of a word
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. squash — the sport
  17. root — the cause
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. spell — magic
  20. plane — a tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cell — in biology
  24. nail — for a hammer

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