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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stock — goods
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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