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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. swing — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tear — to rip
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mark — a grade
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — to play on
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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