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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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. file — a line of people
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ground — a position
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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