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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tube — a container
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mine — for digging
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. band — a music group
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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