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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wind — moving air
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a path
  14. charge — electricity
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. track — to keep track
  23. date — the fruit
  24. calf — of the leg

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