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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. season — of the year
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. season — in sport
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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