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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: plane · chest · mark · pass · root · bear · craft · pop

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chest — a box
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chest — of your body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pop — soda
  24. plane — in geometry

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