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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ball — a dance
  6. march — the month
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — there
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ball — a great time
  15. scale — in music
  16. present — the time now
  17. season — in sport
  18. march — the month
  19. present — a gift
  20. season — of the year
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. march — music
  24. scale — for weighing

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