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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. cold — an illness
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stem — to come from
  12. root — the cause
  13. club — for golf
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. root — of a word
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bark — to shout

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