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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: tube · root · object · fork · lie · plane · mark · net

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a trace
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. root — the cause
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. tube — a container
  12. object — to protest
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — for catching
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — in a tire

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