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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. spring — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. spring — of water
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — a coil
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mug — to rob
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mug — a face
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — an aim
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. object — a thing
  24. plane — a tool

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