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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pop — music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chip — to eat
  5. root — the cause
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. firm — decided
  8. root — of a word
  9. pop — soda
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. file — a tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. file — a document
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pop — to visit
  18. file — a line of people
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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