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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: rash · fine · bat · object · bore · plane · root · wound

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — the cause
  9. fine — all right
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. object — to protest
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. object — a thing
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. object — an aim
  24. root — of a plant

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