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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · lie · trunk · face · root · swing · fine · cue

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cue — a signal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. plane — a tool
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. face — to confront
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. swing — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fine — high quality
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — for pool
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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