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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: safe · toast · swing · key · plane · face · clip · root

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. swing — in golf
  6. face — to confront
  7. clip — to cut
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. clip — a video
  10. swing — music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. root — of a word
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. toast — bread
  17. swing — to play on
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. clip — for paper
  20. plane — a tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — the cause
  24. safe — a strongbox

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