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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. root — of a word
  8. date — the fruit
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spell — magic
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wound — an injury
  18. root — of a plant
  19. spell — letters
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pitch — completely
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. coach — a trainer

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