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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. row — a line
  3. bank — for money
  4. kid — to tease
  5. firm — a company
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stem — to come from
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. firm — decided
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. kid — child
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bank — of a river
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. leaves — of a tree

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