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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 120 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. capital — a city
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — a tool
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. suit — to fit
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bear — the animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. suit — in cards
  15. capital — money
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stem — to come from

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