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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wax — to grow
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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