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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: snap · pass · root · shower · plane · can · leaves · kick

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. snap — to click
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — a tin
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. shower — to wash
  16. kick — in football
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. root — the cause
  21. shower — rain
  22. pass — a permit
  23. plane — a tool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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