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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: wind · wave · plane · root · pop · bear · mate · lash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pop — to visit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pop — soda

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