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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. craft — boats
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. file — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. file — a document

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