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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cold — an illness
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cold — not warm
  13. stock — shares
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stock — goods
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. plane — a tool

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