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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
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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: pit · squash · plane · root · ground · wave · date · trunk

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. root — of a word
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ground — the earth
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. squash — to crush
  16. root — of a plant
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pit — in a race
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pit — a hole
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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