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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. land — a country
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. land — ground
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. branch — a division
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — a tool

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