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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. root — of a word
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. tube — a container
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — the cause
  14. tube — the underground
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — to trim
  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