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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. content — happy
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. bank — for money
  12. stem — to come from
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. content — the amount
  17. cell — in biology
  18. squash — to crush
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cell — a phone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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