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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. court — for sport
  6. stem — to come from
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. court — of law
  12. scale — size or range
  13. court — of a king
  14. charge — a price
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. scale — in music

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