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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spring — a coil
  3. suit — clothes
  4. land — to come down
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — a country
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. spring — of water
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. press — to push
  13. scale — size or range
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. land — ground
  18. scale — in music
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — a tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. plane — in geometry

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