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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pop — soda
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. last — finally
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pop — to visit
  12. last — to go on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — final
  24. pop — music

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