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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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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 · stick · ground · row · wound · mug · plane · bay

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — the cause
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. root — of a word
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ground — a position
  18. plane — a tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mug — a face
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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