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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 116 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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — to fit
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pop — music
  14. club — for golf
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pop — to visit
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pop — soda
  20. board — to get on
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — in geometry

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