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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. march — the month
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. march — the month
  7. season — of the year
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. staff — employees
  20. season — in sport
  21. march — music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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