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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — music
  9. root — of a word
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. swing — to play on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. swing — in golf

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