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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cold — not warm
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. hand — help
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bark — to shout
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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