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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.

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: rash · plane · bore · cap · leaves · trunk · root · mouse

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. root — the cause
  16. rash — a series
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. root — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cap — a lid
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — in geometry

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