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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. squash — to crush
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. root — of a word
  10. bass — the fish
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bass — low music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rest — a break
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — the cause
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bass — the instrument

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