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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. swing — music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pop — music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — in golf
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — thin
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rush — hurry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. swing — to play on
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pass — to spend time

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