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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. present — there
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — in football
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — a tool
  8. root — of a word
  9. present — the time now
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. present — a gift
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — a phone
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — of a plant

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