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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. court — of a king
  13. ground — a position
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. court — of law
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. court — for sport
  19. rest — a break
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — to bear
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a leader

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