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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — a tool
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. toast — bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — finally

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