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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. sharp — clever
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. roll — a list
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. roll — a cake
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fine — high quality
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. roll — on a roll

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