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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. firm — steady
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. firm — a company
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. toast — bread
  21. firm — decided
  22. root — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — the cause

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