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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. present — the time now
  9. court — for sport
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. present — there
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of a king
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. present — a gift
  23. key — for a lock
  24. court — of law

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