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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: lie · root · wound · spell · last · squash · bore · plane

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. plane — a tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. last — to go on
  10. squash — to crush
  11. last — final
  12. spell — letters
  13. bore — to tire
  14. last — finally
  15. root — of a word
  16. lie — to recline
  17. spell — magic
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wound — an injury
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. root — the cause
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wound — an injury

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