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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. firm — steady
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a music group
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — a company
  15. chair — a leader
  16. firm — decided
  17. band — a ring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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