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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. file — a document
  5. root — of a word
  6. plane — a tool
  7. file — a tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. shower — rain
  10. mark — a trace
  11. file — a line of people
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — in cards
  18. shower — to wash
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. plane — an aircraft

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