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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bound — certain
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. bound — obliged
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — clothes
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bound — tied together
  18. date — the fruit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. game — wild animals
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spell — magic
  24. stem — to come from

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