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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. present — the time now
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. suit — in cards
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. present — there
  22. deal — to handle
  23. suit — to fit
  24. coach — a trainer

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