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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pit — in a race
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tear — to rip
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. season — in sport
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pit — a hole
  22. season — of the year
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. hide — animal skin

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