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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. staff — employees
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. last — to go on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — employees
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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