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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. spell — a short time
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. sharp — clever

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