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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 116 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. object — to protest
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. race — a contest
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — an aim
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. last — finally
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. last — final
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — humankind
  17. last — to go on
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stem — to come from
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — a trainer

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