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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stem — to come from
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cap — a lid
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stem — a stem cell

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