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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. spell — letters
  5. drill — army training
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — music
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stand — to bear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — a stone

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