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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
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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: root · plane · pop · charge · tear · perch · saw · bat

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. root — the cause
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pop — music
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pop — to visit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. root — of a word
  15. pop — soda
  16. bat — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. tear — to rip
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. tear — from crying
  24. perch — the fish

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