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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. root — of a word
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stem — to come from
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. sharp — clever
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. sharp — exactly

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