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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — in cards
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — letters
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cell — in biology
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cell — a phone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cell — in a prison

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