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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.

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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: court · root · rest · lie · cap · squash · plane · patient

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a plant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cap — of ice
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cap — a lid
  18. root — the cause
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — of a word
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rest — what's left

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