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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. staff — employees
  3. snap — to click
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. staff — employees
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rest — a break
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. toast — bread
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — a tool
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stem — to come from
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stem — a stem cell

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