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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. fall — to drop
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bear — the animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. content — the amount
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cue — for pool
  12. staff — employees
  13. bear — the animal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fall — the season
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — a stick
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bear — to put up with

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