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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rock — music
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cell — in biology
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — in a road
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. squash — to crush
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — in geometry

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