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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.

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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. firm — steady
  3. cue — for pool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — a hint
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. capital — money
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. plane — a tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — to come from
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. capital — a city
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. firm — a company

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