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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · fan · ruler · straw · tube · object · plane · root

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. face — to point toward
  5. root — the cause
  6. face — to confront
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. root — of a word
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. root — of a plant
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. object — an aim
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. object — to protest
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. plane — in geometry

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