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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: root · calf · press · straw · object · spring · face · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. face — to point toward
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. press — a publisher
  7. spring — the season
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spring — of water
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. object — to protest
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. root — of a word
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spring — a coil
  19. press — to push
  20. plane — a tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — a thing

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