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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 120 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
468
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: ruler · plane · spell · root · net · pass · track · cap

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — the cause
  7. track — a path
  8. net — in sport
  9. cap — a hat
  10. spell — magic
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. spell — a short time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. net — after costs
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. net — for catching
  23. track — a song
  24. spell — letters

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