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

Word bank: dip · rest · kid · root · plane · object · bowl · cabinet

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — the cause
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. kid — to tease
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. kid — child
  9. object — to protest
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rest — a break
  12. object — an aim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. root — of a word
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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