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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
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: field · root · saw · fan · plane · tear · bore · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. tear — to rip
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bore — to tire
  10. field — for sport
  11. root — of a plant
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — from crying
  18. saw — the tool
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. field — farmland
  22. root — the cause
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fan — a supporter

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