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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pop — soda
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pop — to visit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lean — thin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pop — music
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. straw — dry grass

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