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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — a company
  3. file — a document
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. charge — in control
  12. stem — to come from
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — steady
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cap — a hat
  17. charge — a price
  18. row — to paddle
  19. file — a line of people
  20. row — a line
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. file — a tool
  23. perch — the fish
  24. firm — decided

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