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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. spell — letters
  4. staff — employees
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — part of the head
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. spell — a short time
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lie — to recline
  16. row — a line
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — employees
  20. face — to confront
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spell — magic

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