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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. court — for sport
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — the time now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a dance
  14. present — a gift
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. court — of a king
  19. present — there
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fine — all right
  22. court — of law
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fine — high quality

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