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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bank — for money
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. swing — music
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. swing — to play on
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rest — a break
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rest — what's left
  24. vault — a safe

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