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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch

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