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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: content · leaves · rock · jam · wound · plane · shower · root

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wound — an injury
  11. root — of a word
  12. rock — music
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. root — the cause
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. rock — a stone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. shower — to wash
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wound — an injury
  24. plane — a tool

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