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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spring — of water
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pound — a weight
  9. root — the cause
  10. press — to push
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bank — of a river
  14. plane — a tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — of a word
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — in a road

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