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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. capital — a city
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — in a race
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. march — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. fine — all right
  13. stem — to come from
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — money
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. march — the month
  20. pit — a hole
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. vault — a safe

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